The delay in vaccines for Canada is worrisome, but it appears the second dose for many vulnerable residents is on the way after some persistence by local politicians.
Canada was not due to receive any Pfizer-BioNTech vaccines last week — as the company was in the midst of revamping its operations — and deliveries were expected to be slow for the next few weeks.
With Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit medical officer of health Dr. Charles Gardner saying Barrie has become "ground zero" for the COVID-19 UK variant, it was apparent the region couldn't wait.
Barrie-Innisfil MPP Andrea Khanjin told BarrieToday that she and the other area MPPs and MPs took their concerns to the federal government to explain the Simcoe-Muskoka region's dire need to get more vaccines immediately.
Khanjin says she was recently informed that Ontario would get 26,000 doses this week, which she said led her to push even harder for the 4,000 doses she was told Royal Victoria Regional Health Centre (RVH) and the local health unit would need.
The MPP says she found out on Saturday they had secured 5,000 doses.
“It became evident that we had to make our case clear; many who had the first dose were at risk of not receiving their second one,” she said. “Our priority will be long-term care residents and seniors, but I will absolutely continue to advocate for health workers. They need to be vaccinated.”
Khanjin says the incoming doses will be primarily used as the second shots for those who have received the first one.
The Pfizer vaccine requires two doses be administered.
An official with the local health unit said they couldn't speak to the number of vaccines being delivered to the region due to security reasons, but did confirm the number of doses refers to individual shots.
“When we talk about the number of doses, we talk about individual shots,” they said. “So, for example, if we get 10 doses, it would allow us to put 10 needles into 10 arms.”
Originally, it was believed those who received their first dose would need their second shot around 21 to 27 days later.
At a Jan. 19 media briefing, Dr. Gardner said they are learning it can be administered in up to 42 days after the first dose without there being an appreciable reduction in immune response.
The health unit spokesperson said Gardner has committed to getting second doses to the most vulnerable within the 21- to 27-day window.
“Those highest risk individuals include those in our long-term care homes and others in retirement and rest homes,” the spokesperson said.
In Simcoe-Muskoka, there have been 16,501 doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine administered to health-care workers in local hospitals, long-term care and retirement homes, as well as to all eligible long-term care home residents. On Monday, the health unit reported 977 people in the region have received both required doses of the vaccine.
Khanjin says she's also assisting anyway she can with helping to protect the region against further spread.
“New protocols will soon be put into place for rapid testing in large work environments,” the MPP said. “We want it to be that if you are a large business, with many employees, and want rapid testing then you should get it.”
Since the pandemic began in March, there have been 1,784 confirmed cases of COVID-19 among Barrie residents, with 1,205 of those having recovered from the virus. There have also been 82 death in the city, with most of those linked to the outbreak at the Roberta Place long-term care home, as well as 17 hospitalizations.
